How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, by Mohsin Hamid (2013)

You start reading a novel you know nothing about. It’s written in the second person, which is rarely done and even more rarely done well. But as you read the story of a young man in an unnamed Asian city, you are first surprised at how engaging it is, and then excited as the characterizations and emotions grow deeper with each page. You follow the young man as he goes from poverty to starting his own business to becoming a wealthy captain of industry. The story of his lifelong love for a pretty girl he met in his village touches you. When you turn the final page, too soon after you started, your eyes are misty. As a writer, you are jealous. As a reader, you are grateful. — Lisa Parrish

Fast-food worker activism

The less-told story of the Great Recession is that the new jobs being created in the “recovery” are mostly low-wage service jobs, which don’t provide nearly the same standard of living as the jobs that were lost earlier in the crisis. In this context, organizing campaigns by fast-food workers are particularly important. The workers have two demands: a living wage and union representation. A fair minimum for the new American economy. Workers are calling for another one-day strike on Thursday, August 29. Plan your solidarity actions accordingly. — Dave

Beets and blueberries

When I got back to Abu Dhabi a few nights ago we had hardly a shred of food in the house. The next morning, after the gym but before grocery shopping, I surveyed the cupboards and freezer and found a stray can of beets and half a bag of frozen blueberries. Add a little bit of lemon juice concentrate and voila! A delicious liver-cleansing smoothie, much needed at the end of vacation and reminiscent of my favorite chilled beet soup. (If this gets you going, find more beety goodness at my pal Sacha’s nutrition blog.) — BW

Last two images via here and here.